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I would like to know, does MS have any effect on behavior? I am very fortunate that this disease has not overtaken my wife (at least not so far), but I have noticed that her temper is shorter, she is sometimes confused, and sometimes she has memory problems. She just is not quite like herself. I am thankful and all because it could be worse. But I just need some clarification because I believe it does affect one’s behavior.

Cognitive impairment is common in multiple sclerosis and occurs in up to 65 percent of patients at some time during the illness. Symptoms can include problems with memory, attention and concentration, and what’s known as executive functioning, including problem-solving and the ability to do more than one task at a time. These issues are often among the most disabling of MS symptoms and can occur even when someone looks quite well physically!

Relatively mild cognitive dysfunction can have a huge impact on someone’s ability to work, on social relationships and on quality of life. In addition, patients with cognitive impairment are much more likely to need personal assistance than patients who do not have cognitive problems. It is very important to discuss these symptoms with your wife’s doctor or treatment team, because other symptoms common in MS (pain, fatigue, depressionand other mood disorders) can mimic or exaggerate cognitive impairment, and these may be treatable as well.

In recent years, clinical trials for new and more effective treatments in MS have begun to incorporate cognitive and neuropsychological testing in the hope that new treatments will be able to prevent the onset or progression of cognitive changes in MS.

In addition, we know that cognitive impairment often correlates with abnormalities on MRI, particularly brain atrophy. There is recent evidence that these changes on MRI and their progression over time might predict cognitive impairment later in the disease. This makes MRI a very useful tool in assessing new treatments. In the future, it is hoped that there are new imaging techniques that will give us an even more sensitive tool for evaluating the effectiveness of new drugs geared toward either preventing or treating cognitive problems in multiple sclerosis.